A Catholic Cardinal with an unclear agenda becomes the Pope. An ancient scroll is unearthed that may unlock a devastating secret. A ruggedly handsome protagonist and two beautiful, gutsy women embark on a globe-trotting who-dun-it adventure of biblical proportions. The Second Messiah is nothing if not formulaic. It contains all of the ingredients that a standard archaeological/religious thriller should have along with the overused storytelling trick of guiding the reader through separate plots a few chapters at a time - each phase ending on a mini cliff-hangar that keeps the reader moving on towards the next and the next and the next...To be fair, this book is a quick read, hence the three stars. I read it from cover to cover in less than six hours although I began feeling annoyed with myself for continuing to engage once I realized halfway through that I already had a pretty clear idea of how it was going to end. Still, I plowed ahead. Spurred by simplistic prose and descriptive settings, I hunkered on till the Big Reveal, which was disappointingly predictable. Also, the "shocking" implication of the scroll in question was far from being an earth-shattering revelation - instead it would mostlikely, in the real world, not have a significant impact on current views about religion at all. The characters were likewise predictable. Along with the manly and likeable archaeologist-hero Jack and his likewise attractive female counterparts, there is a plentiful supply of sketchy sub-plot players who vary from the typical scarred beefcake bad-guy to the crippled and quirky genius professor. The main characters are relatively well fleshed-out but the rest are maddeningly stereotypical. Needless to say, it was entertaining and fast-moving. It isn't as innovative as - say - The DaVinci Code, but it works well enough to be recommended as a mindless, airplane read for fans of the archeo-thriller genre. Thought that this was going to be one of those books that I couldn't put down and I was right. However I can honestly say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I bought I would, that's not say that it wasn't well written as it was. The beginning of the book was great and it drew me in. The middle started to slow and get a bit predictable and he end just seemed a bit rushed. Easy to read but don't expect too much. Da Vinci Code it is not!
Do You like book The Second Messiah. Glenn Meade (2010)?
This book kept you guessing, but it never fully delivered. What a shame! The premise was good.
—TONI
Excellent book! A page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Loved the ending.
—nat
Tough to put this book down. Touching ending. Great read.
—amberrr1998
